GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Reverend Donald Constantine Francis is in charge of the eight congregations in the Spaldings District of Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Clarendon. His work as a leader of the flock started four years ago, but his walk with the Lord began while he was eight years old.

"I started preaching before I became a pastor. I finished school and started official ministry four years now. I became a born-again Christian in my 20s but I got baptised when I was eight in 1993, and from that time it dawned on me that God had His hands on me for ministry," said Reverend Francis.

Francis said he was aware that he should have surrendered his life to God from he was eight years old. He added that his mother who was not saved was attending a Seventh-day Adventist Church at the time and that there was a crusade in progress in his community at Mitchells Hill in Clarendon.

"She pulled us as children saying that we were all going to church; and we went to hear the preacher, Reverend Jeremiah Burrell. He mentioned some things, some of which I did not understand. However, I heard as it were a voice in my head saying, 'go to the altar, get baptised and be a pastor'," said Francis.

The young minister said he did not know what a pastor did at the time, but that he knew there was a pulling upon his life to be a pastor; and from that day he has been prepared and had been preparing for ministry.

Francis noted that he started to preach the day following his baptism. However, he did not preach to a congregation, but to trees and animals. He explained, though, that his first preaching engagement to people started while he was a student at Vere Technical High School.

Francis said he has had several rewarding experiences since he took on pastoral duties. He recalled one being at a time when he conducted a crusade at his home church in 2006.

"One of my most rewarding experiences was while I was conducting a crusade in my home church and my father was baptised in that evangelistic series. I cried that moment because as a child to have led your daddy to find salvation in Jesus Christ has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me," noted Francis.

While it might be difficult for some ministers of the gospel to witness to members of their family, Francis said that is not the case with him. He noted that because his family members respect him a whole lot, his own are quick to accept his encouraging words towards their soul salvation.

He pointed out for example that his father was quick to adopt his teachings about Christ and decided to do what he said before he (father) took the important step as he started his journey with Christ. This, he said, was easy because from he was growing up he was an obedient child who never disrespected his parents.

"So when they saw me transitioning into ministry, they knew from my early years that this was the way God wanted to lead me," said Francis, who also said he is still working on getting his mother to become a born- again Christian.

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